


of ink and healing

by to_the_stars_who_listen



Series: Semicolon Tattoos, And The Meanings Thereof [2]
Category: Keeper of the Lost Cities Series - Shannon Messenger
Genre: Gen, also elwin is Concerned that keefe did not take the Proper Medical Procedures, idk if you guys have seen this on tumblr, lil fluffy sokeefe! yay!, the semicolon headcanon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-02-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:40:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22501123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/to_the_stars_who_listen/pseuds/to_the_stars_who_listen
Summary: Part of the semicolon tattoo au by me (Ella), Raven, and Semp. In this part, Keefe gives himself a tattoo, much to the dismay of Elwin.
Relationships: Sophie Foster/Keefe Sencen
Series: Semicolon Tattoos, And The Meanings Thereof [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1618897
Comments: 3
Kudos: 34





	of ink and healing

**Author's Note:**

> Keefe apparently just DID A TATTOO without the PROPER MEDICAL PROCEDURES. WHAT WAS HE THINKING.   
> Anyway, here's more of the semicolon tattoo au! Find the original post here https://bronte-deserves-better.tumblr.com/post/190575835270/more-headcanons !

Keefe took a deep breath and uncapped the vial of serum. He glanced at the design traced on the inside of his wrist in pen. When Sophie had told him about this particular tradition, he had immediately inked it in, but now he was ready to make it permanent.

A part of him.

He dipped the brush into the specialized ink and carefully painted it onto his skin, resisting the urge to itch as it sank in. Dex had said that this would take a few layers, but it was worth it. Keefe wanted this to be permanent. The pain he had gone through at his parents’ hands would always be there, shadowing his every thought and motion.

But he had gotten through it. He had survived it. It took help, yes. But in the end, it was his choice.

He dipped, brushed, waited again. The design darkened.

Keefe closed his eyes and released a breath.

I’m alive.

He had his bad days. He suspected he would always have bad days. There would always be a reason to give up.

But now — now he had good reasons to keep going. Brown eyes flashed through his mind, along with a pair of chronically annoyed blue-gray ones.  
He opened his eyes, staring down at the finished design, dark and black and permanent.

A reminder.

A promise.

He uncapped the vial of sealing elixir and carefully poured it over the bold semicolon gracing his wrist — easily hidden by his jerkin, but easily visible if he wanted it to be. Keefe blew on the solution, impatient for it to dry. Impatient to show Sophie. He rolled his sleeve down over it and pulled out the home crystal that she had given him when he moved back in with his biological dad, letting the light whisk him away.  
—  
“Sophie!” Keefe knocked on her door, eager to show her his new tattoo.

The door banged open, and he saw not blonde hair and stunning brown eyes, but wild dark hair and gray eyes. “Keefe! Sorry, I thought you were Grady again, and so help me if he comes in here one more time —”

Keefe held up a placating hand. “Not Grady. I just wanted to show Sophie something. Why are you here, anyway?”

Elwin sighed. “Sophie tripped on the stairs and sprained her ankle.” His eyes caught and held on Keefe’s wrist.

Too late, Keefe realized his mistake.

“Keefe Sencen, that had better not be a tattoo.”

Keefe winced. “It … might be?”

Elwin sighed again. “Please tell me you didn’t do it yourself.”

He stood up straighter. “I didn’t do it myself.”

Elwin blew out a breath. “How long ago did you do it?”

“Just now.”

“Let me see.”

Keefe held out his wrist grudgingly. “Remind me why this is necessary?”

Elwin pulled down his goggles and flashed light over the semicolon. “It could get infected. You could die if an infection like that went untreated.”

He arched a brow. “How? It’s just ink.”

Elwin glanced up at him before refocusing on the tattoo. “Did you at least disinfect the skin?”

Keefe shrugged. “I washed it off so that the ink didn’t smudge.”

“Good enough. For your sake and mine, I hope that you cleaned it enough so that none of the bacteria on your skin sank in with the ink and got into your bloodstream.”

Keefe winced. “Me too. You finished yet?”

“Finished with what?” Sophie said, leaning against the doorway.

He pulled his wrist out of Elwin’s grasp, throwing his arms around Sophie, who squeaked in surprise. “Hey, Foster,” he whispered. 

“Hey, Keefe,” she said, muffled by his shoulder. Tilting her head back to look up at him, she asked “Not that I’m not happy to see you, but why are you here?”

Keefe grinned, keeping an arm around her while showing her his wrist. “Look what I got.”

Elwin edged down the stairs. “I’m just going to go now.”

Sophie ignored him. “Keefe, that’s — I don’t even know what to say.”

Keefe studied her face anxiously. “Do you like it?”

She beamed up at him. “I love it.” She raised herself up on her toes, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips and flushing his cheeks bright red. “I love you.”

He grinned. “Love you too, Foster.”

Her eyes took on a mischievous glint. “Did you show your dad yet?”

Keefe rubbed the back of his neck. “I actually asked him before I started it.”

Sophie laughed aloud. “I never thought I’d see the day when Bronte let someone have a tattoo. Or when you actually asked a parental figure for permission for anything.” 

Keefe laughed. “Crazy, I know.” He kissed her again, just because he could, and said “Speaking of my dad, I have to get home. It’s getting late, and he promised he’d get the human thing with cheese and bread and — what’s it called — pineapple?”

Sophie laughed. “Pizza?”  
“Yeah, that!” His imparter beeped, and text scrolled across it. “Aaand there it is.”  
“I’ll walk you to the Leapmaster.”

Keefe smirked. “Race you.”

“Hey, no fair!” Sophie sprinted after him, laughing. Keefe slid down the banister, while Sophie simply jumped and levitated herself at the last minute.

Keefe sprinted to the chandelier-like contraption and pumped his fist. “I win!”

“Only because you had a head start!”

“Probably. You’re pretty amazing.”

Sophie blushed and shoved him towards the Leapmaster. “Alright, Mr. Flirtatious, Bronte’s going to be upset if you get home any later.”

“True.” Keefe pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose before shouting “Eternalia!” and letting the light whisk him away for the second time that day


End file.
